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The Village: The Call of the Ice Cream Van

Posted June 30, 2010

My heart still thumps with excitement when I hear the tinkling tune of an ice cream van. Round my way it’s an up tempo version of Greensleeves which sounds like a medieval minstrel on speed. Every time I hear it I want to rush out into the street and elbow small children out of my way so that I can claim my place at the front of the queue. I’d order a large cone of softly whipped ice cream with all the toppings - rolled in chopped nuts, with a swirl of raspberry syrup and of course a chocolate flake to boot. Yep, when it came to ice cream I was definitely a combative, greedy kid.

But it didn’t stop in childhood. At university I used to bolt out of my student digs, even in winter, as soon as I heard the familiar sound. The ice cream seller clearly knew he was on to a winner and used to park his van directly outside my house. I think he also had a bit of a crush on me; there was always an extra flake thrown in!!

Nowadays I hang back. It’s not that I’ve lost my appetite for ice cream. It’s just that I don’t want to look too greedy (for an adult). And anyway, exactly how many calories are in a 99?